Process of cracking heavy oils.



C. ELLIS.

PROCESS OF CRACKING HEAVY OILS.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 1. 1912. RENEWED JULY 15, 1918.

H a H 4. i e h 6/ P v u f o rvinal wig gw BY WWW Mr:

WITNESSES UNITED STATES PATENT oFFIc cantEroN ELLIS, or MONTGLAIR, NEw JERSEY, ASSIG-NOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS,

'10 SURFACE COMBUSTION, IN Q, OF WILMINGTON,;.DELAWARE, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

- PROCESS or CRACKING HEAVY OILS.

Patented Feb. 25, 1919.-

Applieation filed April 1, 1912, Serial No. 687,771. Renewed July 15, 1918. Serial No. 245,069.

To all 'whom it mag moncern:

Be it known that I, CARLEToN ELLIS, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Montclair, Essex county, New Jersey, have made certain new and useful Inventions Relating to Processes of Cracking Heavy Oils,

of which the following is a specification,

taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, which form part of the same.

This invention relates especially to processes of cracking heavy oils by in ecting or spraying the oil preferably in a preheated condition into contact with a mass of highly heated lumps of refractory material in a suitable chamber to effect the cracking operation, the cracking chamber being kept under a considerable pressure to minimize the production, of fixed gases. The vaporized cracked oils may then be passed from the cracking chamber through a coohng 0011 in an air superheaterand then through a seriesof condensers to progressively condense and separate the lighter oils.

The accompanying drawing is a vertical section showing in a somewhat diagrammatic manner an illustrative apparatus for carrying out this invention.

The preferably vertical cracking chamber 1 may be lined with fireclay or other suitable refractory material and may have a sufficiently heavy jacket to withstand considerable internal pressure. The chamber is preferably filled with lumps of suitable refractory material 2an inch or So in size and 'forthls purpose fiI'BbIlCk or 'materlal high in alumina, such as alundum, corundum, etc. crushed to the desired substantially uniform size, may be used'preferably' in connection with a coating of suitable refractory catalytic material, such as oxids of thoriumor vanadium or precipitated alumina which is desirable for use in this connection.

A coating of such precipitated alumina may 1 be attached to the lumps of refractory ma-' terial as by calcination after a coating of the dry precipitated alumina. has been applied to the lumps ofrefractory material in causing the alumina to adhere to the lumps of refractory material. v

The heavy oil, such as fuel or gas oil or stripped crude petroleum, that is, crude oil from which the lighter fractions have been removed, may be advantageously supplied. to the cracking chamber by spraying into the upperportion thereof as through a pair of cooperatlng spraying nozzles 5 directed toward each other and adapted to form a fine spray of oil. These nozzles may be con-- nected with a suitable nozzle pipe 7, the valves 6 serving to regulate the amount of 011 delivered from the nozzles; It is usually des rable to preheat the oil before spraying 1t 1nto the cracking chamber and for this purpose a suitable casing 4 may be arranged around part of the cracking chamber so as 11 connected with the air pipe 9 which may extend circumferentially around the chamher and with a series of suitable air injectmg nozzles. such as 8 which preferably have downwardly directed injecting apertures to deliver the air into the refractory material ad acent the point of oil injection 'and'in such way as to eflect the combustion of three to ten per cent. of the oil fuel which burns in an accelerated manner within the porous refractory material in the cracking cham her. This accelerated combustion occurs directly within the granular refractory materlal itself so as to develop heat therein and also to heat and crack the unconsumed heavy oil. The air may be preheated to the extent desired in any suitable way, as for instance, by forcing the air from the air pump 14 through the pipe 13 into the air chamber 12 of a suitable preheater 26 through which .the cooling coil 19 carrying the vapo rized treated material from the cracking chamber is passed the desired number of times. This cooling coil may as indicated communicate with the discharge aperture 18 within the neck or lower portion 15 of the cracking chamber and may have its jextension 20 provided with a suitable valve 21 to regulate the'pressure within the cracking chamber and determine the amount of material which is allowed to flow through the cooperating condensing apparatus. The

hot vaporized treated oil in passing'through I water wit in the chamber as indicated and any desired number of these condensing chambers may as illustrated in the drawing be connected together in series so as to have a single water circulation. The condensing chambers 31 and 37 may be arranged as illustrated and the water supply pipe 38 having the water valve 39 therein may su ply water to the chamber 37 from which t is cooling water after being somewhat heated in the first condenser may pass up through the pipe 32 to the condenser 31, the pipe 28 leading this condensing Water into the condenser 23 from which it may be discharged through the waterdischar'ge pipe 27. The condenser 31 may have the condensino coil 30 therein having its trapped lower end connected with the discharge'pipe 33 having the discharge Valve 34. The condenser 37 may be similarly provided with the condensing coil 36 having as in the case of the other condensing coils any desired number of turns and communi eating with thedischarge pipe 40 havin the valve 41. In carrying out this oil crac ing process the granular material is brought up to a heat suflicient to vaporize the oil (usually 400 to 500 C. or more) by the combustion .of the heavy oil or other combustible material and then the heavy oil to be treated is sprayed into the incandescent granular material so as to be simultaneously vaporized,

cracked and also burned to the extent of a small percentage ,sufiicient to maintain the granular material at the proper working temperature. The cracking chamber, which may be provided with a pressure gage as at 1*, is preferably maintained at considerable pressure, of ten pounds or moreper square inch, the pressure being preferably between thirty and sixty pounds for ordinary stripped crude petroleum so as to correspondingly minimize the production of the fixed hydrocarbon gases and give a larger output of gasolene,

kerosene and the heavier oils desired. The

continuous burning of a small proportion of the heavy oil serves in this way tomaintain v temperature by which an intense crackin Fi's treated, the cracking the unconsumed oi being considerably promoted by the use of jectin the precipitated alumina or other catalytic material which has a desirable action in this connection. The roducts of this partial combustion natura y pass down through the granular material in the cracking chamber transmitting heat thereto and to the surrounding oil jacket before they .are discharged into the cooling coil referred to.

Having described this invention in connection with illustrative forms of apparatus, materials, proportions, pressures and arrangements, to the details of which disclosure the invention is not of course to be limited, what is claimed as new and what is desired to be secured by Letters Patent is set forth in the appended claims:

1, The process of cracking heavy oils such as stripped crude petroleum or the like which consists in spraying the oil through a pair of opposed spraying nozzles into a mass of heated granular refractory material, in inand a jacent the oil delivered thereto heated into said refractory material below air to effect the accelerated combustion of three to ten per cent. of said oil'and 'simulta neously heat the refractory material toincandescence, said refractory material consisting substantially of lumps ofhighly al'umious refractory material of about one inch mesh having an adjacent coating of catalytic material comprising precipitated alumina, in

maintaining the heated vaporizedoil in com tact with said refractory material at a pressure of about thirty to sixty pounds per square inch to minimize development of fixed hydrocarbon gases, in passing the va orized treated oil and products of com ustion through such refractory material, in preheating the oil by heat from said refractory ma- 7 terial, in heatin the air injected from the 10 heated vaporize treated oil and gases from said refractory material" and in successively condensing and separating treated oil. I

2.-'Dhe process of cracking heavy oils such as stripped crude petroleum or the like which consists in spraying the oil into a mass of heated granular refractory material, in injecting into said refractory material below and adjacent the oil delivered thereto the vaporized air' to effect the accelerated'combustion of" three to ten per cent. of said oil and simultaneously heat the refractory material to v v incandescence, said refractory material consisting substantially of lumps of highly aluminous refractory material having an adherent coating of catalytic material comprising precipitated alumina, in maintaining the heated vaporized oil in contact with said refractory material at a pressure of about thirty to sixty pounds per square inch to minimize development of fixed hydrocarbon gases, in passing the vaporized treated "oil and products of combustion through such refractory material, in preheating the oil heating the oil by heat from said refractory.

by heat from said refractory material, in heating the air injected from the heated vaporized treated oil and gases from said refractory material and in successively conair to efiect theaccelerated combustion. of a small percentage of said oil and simultaneously heat the refractory material to in; candescence, said refractory material consisting substantially of lumps of highly aluminous'refractory material having an adherent coatingofcatalytic material, in main taining the heating vaporized oil in contact with said refractory material at a pressure 7 of about-thirty to sixty Pounds per square inch to minimize development of fixed hydrocarbon gases, in passing the vaporized treated oil and products of combustion through such refractory material, in pref material, and in successively condensing and.

separating the vaporized treated oil.

L The process-0f cracking heavy oils such as stripped crude petroleum or the like which consists in injecting the oil into a mass of heated granularrefractory material, in injecting into said refractory material below and adjacent the oildelivered thereto air to effect the accelerated combustion of a small percentage of said oil and. simultaneously heat the refractory material to incandescence, in maintaining the heated vaporized oil in contact with said refractory material at a pressure of about thirty to sixty pounds per square inch to minimize development of fixed hydrocarbon gases, in passing the vaporized treated oil and products of combustion through such refractory material, in preheating the oil by heat from said refractory material and in successively con dgnsing and separating the vaporized treate oil. 7

5. The process of cracking heavy oils such as stripped crude petroleum or the like which consists in spraying the oil into a mass of heated granular refractory material, in injecting into said refractory material below and adjacent the oil delivered thereto air to efiect-the accelerated combustion of three to ten per cent. of said oil and simultaneously heat the refractory material to incandescence, said refractory material consisting substantially of lumps of highly aluminous refractory material having an adherent coating of catalytic material comprising precipitated alumina, in maintaining the heated vaporized oil in contact with said refractory material under pressure to minimize development of fixed hydrocarhon gases, inpassing the vaporized treated oil and products of combustion through such refractory material, in preheating the oil by heat from said refractory material, in-

heating the air injected from the heated vaporized treated oil and gases from sa1d refractory material and in successively condensing and'separating the vaporized oil.

; 6. The process of cracking heavy oils such as stripped crude petroleum or the like which consists in spraying the oil intoa mass ofheated ranular refractory material, in injecting nto said refractory mate rial below and adjacent the 'oil delivered thereto air to effect the accelerated combustion of a small percentage of said oil and simultaneously heat the refractory material to incandescence, said refractorymaterial consisting substantiallyfof lumps of highly aluminous refractory material having an adherent coating of catalytic material, 'in maintaining the heating vaporized oil in contact with said refractorymaterial under pressure to minimize development of fixed hydrocarbon gases, in passing the va-- porized treated oil and products of com bustion through such refractory material, in preheatingv the oil by heat from said refractory material, and in successivelycondensing and separating the vaporized treated oil.

7. The process of cracking heavy oils such 4 as stripped crude petroleum or the like which consists in injectin the oil into a mass of heated granular re ractory material,

in injecting into said refractory material below and adj acentthe oil delivered thereto air to effect the accelerated combustion of a small percentage of said oil and simultaneou-sly heat the refractory material to incandescence, in maintaining the heated va-v porized oil in contact with said refractory material under pressure to minimize development of fixed hydrocarbon gases, in passing the vaporized treated oil and products of combustion through such refractory material, in preheating the-oil by heat from said refractory material and in successively condensing and separating the vaporized treated oil. I

8. The process of cracking heavy oils which consists in spraying heated heavy oil into a mass of heated granular refractory material consisting substantially of lumps of highly aluminous refractory material comprising attached catalytic material comprising precipitated alumina, in injecting into an adjacent portion of said refractory material preheated air in amounts suflicient to cause the combustion of about three to granular material to carbon gases and in condensing and progres- V I sively separating the treated oil fromythe resulting gaseous material. Y

9. The process of cracking heavy oils which consists in spraying heavy 'oil into a mass of heated granular refractory material consisting substantially of lumps of refractact with the heated granular material tominimize the production of fixed hydrocarbon igases and in condensing and progressively separating the treated oil from the resulting gaseous material.

10. The process of cracking heavy oils which consists in injecting heavy oil into a mass of heated granular refractory material consisting substantially of lumps of refractory material comprising attached catalytic material, in injecting into an adjacent portion of said refractory material air in amounts sufiicient to cause the combustion of a small percentage ofthe heavy oil to thereby maintain the heat of the surrounding refractory material, in maintaining under pressure the vaporized treated oil in contact with the heated granular material to minimize the production of fixed hydrocarbon gases and in condensing and progressively separating the treated oil from the resulting gaseous material,

11. The process of cracking heavy oils, which consists in injecting the oil into a highly heated porous and permeable bed of refractory material, injecting into said bed air to efi'ect combustion of a small percentage of theinjected oilto maintain the bed in a highly'heated condition, maintaining the vaporized oil in contact with the bed under pressure to minimize the production of fixed hydrocarbon gases, and condensing and withdrawing the treated oil.

12. The process of cracking heavy oils, which consists in injecting the oil into a hi hly heated porous and permeable bed of re actory material, injecting into said bed I air to effect combustion of a small percentage of the injected oil to maintain the bed in a highly heated condition, maintaining the vaporized oil in contact with the bed under pressure to minimize the production of fixed ydrocarbongases, and progressively condensing and separating from the resulting gaseous material oils of different degrees of volatility. I

'13. The process of cracking heavy oils,

tory material the 011 to becracked' and suf- 1 ficient air to effect combustion of a small percentage of the injected oil to maintain the bed in a highly heated condition, causing the vaporized oil and products of combustion to pass through the bed, maintaining the vaporized oil in contact with the bed under pressure to minimize the production of fixed hydrocarbon gases, and condensing and withdrawing the treated oil.

14. The" process of cracking heavy oils, which consists in injecting into a highly heated porous and permeable bed of refractory material the oil to be cracked and sufficient air to effect combustion of a small percentage of the injected oil to maintain the bed in a highly heated condition, 'condensing and withdrawing the treated oil,

and maintaining the liquid and vaporized,

oil under pressure during such cracking and condensation to minimize development of fixed hydrocarbon gases.

15. The process of cracking heavy oils, which consists in heating the oil and vaporizing volatile constituents thereof by heat developed by the combustion of a small percenta e of the oil within the vaporizing cham r, conducting away and condensing the treated oil, and maintaining the liquid and vaporized oil under pressure during such heating and condensation to minimize development of fixed hydrocarbon gases. 7

.16. The process of cracking heavy oils, which consists in heating the oil and vaporizing volatile constituents thereof by heat developed by the combustion of a small percentage of the oil in the vaporizing cham-,

ber, conducting away and condensin the treated oil, and maintaining the liqui and vaporized oil under a pressure of about thirty to sixty pounds per square inch during such heating and condensation to minimize development of undesirable products.

17. The process of treating heavy petro leum oils or similar oily liquids .to obtaintherefrom low boiling point products, which consists in heating the same by heat developed by the combustion of a small per;

cent-age of the liquid within the treating chamber and distilling ofi' at a high temperature volatile constituents of said liquid, conducting off and condensing said constituents,='and maintaining a pressure of several atmospheres on said liquid and the vaporous volatile constituents thereof throughout their course during and while undergoing conden- 'sation.

CARLETQN ELLIS. Witnesses:

HARRY L. DUNCAN, JEssIn B. KAY. 

